Apparatus for selectively moving support members



May 27, 1958 E. w. HAGADORN 2,836,127

APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Deo. 27, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l TQ Fnom Or THLATER j l- JZ E- Z INVENToR. iw/@PE W/L/AGAMEN BY GQMMKSM.

May 27, 1958 E. w. HAGADORN 2,836,127

APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Dec. 27, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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May 27, 1958 E. w. HAGADORN 2,836,127

APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Dec. 27, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Raid. di w@ Ath "'Q United States Patent O APPARATUS F R SELECTIVELY MVlNG SUPPRT MEMBERS Elmore W. Hagadorn, Solvay, N. Y., assignor to Finishine Laboratories, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 27, 1954, Serial No. 477,893

3 Claims. (Cl. 19d-44S) This invention relates to apparatus fpr selectively moving any one of a group of support members out of its position in the group to a common loading and unloading point adjacent the group, and from thence back to its original position, the other members in the group remaining stationary during such movement. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for selectively moving any seat in a row of theatre seats back and forth between its normal position in the row and a loading and unloading point adjacent a main aisle.

In recent years it has become the practice of the great majority of motion picture theatres to run a continuous program of entertainment for periods of twelve hours or more with no break between complete performances. This practice has led the patrons to enter and leave the theatre at irregular intervals throughout a performance since they can normally be assured of seeing a complete show regardless of their time of arrival. While such an arrangement may be a convenience to the average theatre patron, the continuous entering and leaving of seats by a portion of the audience is often a source of annoyance to others in the audience who are seated and engrossed in the performance. Accordingly, it is the principal purpose of this invention to provide an apparatus for selectively moving any given theatre seat from its position in a row to a point adjacent the aisle where the seat may be loaded or unloaded with a minimum of disturbance to the audience in the remaining seats. v

The applicant is aware of the fact that various movable seating arrangements for theatres have been developed heretofore. However, none of these developments have been used to any extent or met with any widespread enthusiasm since they have either proved to be impractical or have introduced further problems by reason of their own design. In one such arrangement, for example, each seat is mounted on a hydraulically actuated piston so that it can be moved vertically between the auditorium and a loading and unloading room below the auditorium. Since the seat must pass through a trap door in the auditorium floor and the occupant is suspended several feet in the air during such movement, this arrangement is quite obviously impractical for safety reasons. Other arrangements have made provision for mounting a group of seats on a rectangular or eliptical track so that the seats may be simultaneously shifted to position a particular seat adjacent the aisle, and in still another arrangement an empty seat at the exit end of a row is moved beneath the row to the entrance end thereof while the remaining seats are moved in the opposite direction to make room for the transferred seat. All of these last-mentioned arrangements have the disadvantage of requiring movement of all of the seats in a group or row to eiect the transfer of a particular seat to the loading point, such mass movement being generally undesirable from the audience viewpoint as well as defeating to a large extent Vthe purpose of the arrangement.

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With the foregoing and other considerations in view, it is the primary object of the present invention therefore to provide an apparatus for selectively moving any seat in a group of theatre seats between its normal position in the group and a loading and unloading point adjacent the theatre aisle, the other seats in the group remaining stationary during such movement.

Another important object of the invention is to provide apparatus for individually moving any given seat in a group of theatre seats between its normal position in the group and a loading and unloading point adjacent the theatre aisle in such a manner as to cause a minimum amount of disturbance or annoyance to the audience in the other seats in the group even though the seat is occupied during such movement.

A further important object of the invention is to provide apparatus for selectively moving any seat in a group of theatre seats arranged in two rows, along a central passageway between the rows, to a common loading and unloading point adjacent the theatre aisle, the other seats in the group remaining stationary during such movement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for selectively moving any seat in a group of theatre seats arranged in two rows, along a central passageway between the rows, to a common loading and unloading point adjacent the threatre aisle, the apparatus including a separate drive member for each seat and a single prime mover associated with each row adapted to selectively actuate any one of the drive members for the seats in the row.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for selectively moving any seat in a group of theatre seats arranged in two rows, along a central passageway between the rows, to a common loading and unloading point adjacent the theatre aisle, the seats being guided during such movement by a system of guideways including a central guideway positioned below the passageway and a plurality of branch guideways communicating with the central guideway, the drive members for each row of seats being arranged one above the other in the central guideway adjacent a side wall thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for individually moving any given seat in a group of theatre seats between its normal position in the group and a loading and unloading point adjacent the theatre aisle, which apparatus is practical and economical to construct and operate, and is substantially free from harmful hazards to the patrons of the theatre.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers refer to corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the seating area and seats in a theatre or auditorium incorporating one possible embodiment of the apparatus of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the seating area shown in Figure 1 with the theatre seats removed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of a theatre seat showing the alignment mechanism therefor;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section through a portion of the theatre seating area and seats taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the guideways and drive members for a group of two rows of seats, the view corresponding to Figure 2 with the seat platform or top floor covering removed;

Vcleara'tnee between the remaining `seats in the, rows.

Figure 6 is a vertical Ysection taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is anV enlarged vertical section corresponding to V'thecenter -portion of Figure 4 showingthe detailsy of the driving means andv guidewayV arrangement for the thirdiseat in a row;

Figure`8 is a-detailed vertical section showing the closing` means for the guideway top opening;

Y Figure 9 is a side elevation of the splitter element employed to displace the closing means for the guideway top opening;

Figure l is aperspective view of the splitter element;

' Figure :llis anenlarged vertical .section corresponding to Figure 7-showing the drivemeans and guideway -arrangementfor the first seatin a row; Y

l Figure l2 isa horizontalsection taken along line 12-12 of Figure` 7;

Figure 13 is a detailed side elevation of the prime Vmov'erio'ra row of seats and selective engagement mechanismlherefor;

Figure V14 'is a horizontal section taken along line 14-14 of Figure 13; and

Figure l is a detailed perspective view toothon the selective engagement gear. Y

l of a gear While the drawings and detailed description to follow particularlydescribe the Vinvention with relation toapparatus for selectively moving theatre seats, it will be understood as the Adescription proceeds that the apparatus hereinY disclosed can be utilized generally to move a preselected object of any Vkind between'the normal Yposition of the object in a group or pattern and a point removed from the group. The Adrawings and detailed descriptionVV are therefore not'to be taken in a restrictive sense since they set forth but one typical embodiment ofthe invention for the purpose of disclosure.V

Having reference to the -drawingsrand in ,particular to Figure l, indicatesa ,main aisle vof the theatre, the

aisle being flanked by a plurality of rows of seats in the usual manner. `In accordance with the invention, the seats are divided into groups or sections, each Vsuch V group or sectionhaving its Vown seat moving apparatus. VEach group ofV seats and its moving apparatus can therevfore/be considered as a complete unit and since all of these units are of ksubstantially identical construction, a description of one will sufceifor the others. J Y

YThe seats in each group are arranged in two rows fand, :as "illustratediin the drawings, each ,row contains Vfour Vseats although Ya greater or smaller number of `seats'can be 'employedif desired. In Figure l, rows 21 and 22 ycontaining seatsllcz, 2115.210, 21d and 22a, 22b, 22c','22d,fresp`ectivelycomprise'one complete group which is generally designated bythe reference number 24. Normally, there will be two such groups Vofseats in side by -side relation .between .eachv consecutive pair of main aisles 20. YAll of thefseats in group 24 and Vits-adjacent side'ggroup 25V are supported on a substantially horizontal 'platform 27 which is connected by a riser 2,8 to a lower platform ahead of it and ,by ariser '31 to a higher platform 32 behind it, as is best shown in'Figure 4.

Rows 21 Aand 22 are spaced apartto forma central passageway 34 :therebetween of Vsulicient width lto permit a seat to be moved along the passageway with In Figure-1,'seat`21cythe `third seat vin vthe front row of the group, is shown .in the course of movement along this passageway, the seat vhaving beeny moved out .of its row 'position indicated by dash lines. Rows 21, 22 are also spaced a distance approximately equal to thelwidth;

of *one seatfrom the main aisle Y.20 .to provide a loading without having to walk in fron't'of those `already seated.

Thereafter, the, seat can be returned along the passageway to its original positionY in the row, its occupant of the audience is not disturbed.

is simply reversed, the person remaining in theseat until it has been'moved out to the loading and unloading zone at which time he can rise and depart without blocking therview of others. Throughout the movement of any seat between its'row position. and the loading and unloading zone, the seat continues toface' the front of the;theatre due to mechanism to be described in detail hereinafter. v

The seats in each group are guided to and from the loading and unloading zone 35 by means of'a central guideway and a plurality of branch guideways located beneath the theatre floor or platform supporting the group. The central guideway 37 extends below the central kpassageway 34 betweenthe seatV rows, in Vertical alignment with the centerline thereof, and terminates below the loading and unloading zone 35, as indicated in Figures l and 2. This guideway communicates with; a plurality of branch guideways 38Figure 5, each branch guideway extending outwardly at substantially right angles from the centralguideway and yterminating at a point below one of the seats in the rows.V With this construction, there is a continuous guideway ex-V tending between each seat in the group vand the loading and unloading zone 35. Y

Theindividual seats are preferably of the .type having storage space therein for;-the'occupantsscoat, hat, rub-.

used with the apparatus disclosedherein withoutin any -way changing the scope of the invention.

To 4facilitate movement ofztheseats, each one ,is mounted on a support member 40, Figuresfi and 7, having -legs -41 which terminate in runners, casters, or the like. As shown in the drawings, the legs 41 arey provided with runners 42 of somesuitable material such as polished hard wood to enable them to slide smoothly and quietly over the.

Vsitting Uin ythe rear row to have a substantially un- Y This arrange-k obstructed view of the screen or stage. ment, Y'together with the stepped platform arrangement previously referred to, results in agradual elevation ofV successive/rows ofV seats from front to rear as is customary V in modern theatres. and auditoriums. which showsjseat 21c inthe course of movement along the central passageway 34 between the'rows, also indicates the preferable amount of uclearance between the seats during such movement. with a footrest 44 mounted on its support member 40, and the back walls of the seats are inwardly curved as indicated at 45 to insure adequate clearance'for the feet of those in the seats behind. While the foot rests 44 are shown in lixed position in the drawings, they can if desired be pivotally secured to the support members and biased to spring up into a substantially verticalposition ment,'ofc,ourse,.is that it would facilitate an exodus ybetween the seat rows Vof ,adjacentl groups in the event of Y an ,emergency such as a fire or the like.

v "The drive means Yto move the Vseats back and forth between their normal positions in the group and the loading and unloading zone 35,Y comprises an individual ,drive' member for eachV seat positioned kin the guidewaysysin their movement Figure 4;

Each seat is provided.

tem, a drive connection between the support member 40 for each seat and its drive member, and a prime mover to actuate the drive member. The drive member for each seat, as shown in the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, is an endless chain although other motion transmitting means such as a cable or the like could also be used. The drive connection between the support member and chain includes a spindle depending from the support member and a chain connecting element operably secured thereto.

Referring to Figure 7, which is an enlarged, detailed section corresponding to the central portion of Figure 4, the spindle is indicated at 47 and extends downwardly from the support member 40, through an opening 48 in the platform 27, and into the guideway 37. The spindle is secured to the support member so as to permit it to rotate relative thereto and to this end, passes through a bushing 50 in the member. Above the support member, a nut 51 is threaded on to the end of the spindle, a compression spring 52 being positioned on the spindle between the nut and the member for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Within the guideway 37, upper and lower guide rollers 54, 55 are mounted for free rotation on the spindle, and positioned therebetween is the chain connecting element 57 which is fixed to the spindle in a manner to be described.

The lower guide roller 55 is retained on the spindle by means of a iixed collar 58 and is separated from the chain connecting element by a spacer or washer 6). The upper guide roller 54 is spaced from the chain connecting element by a sleeve 61 which holds it against a thrust bearing 62 located between the roller and platform 27. Chain connecting element 57, Figure l2, is loosely keyed to the spindle as indicated at 64 and is provided with a lobe 65 to which the ends of the drive chain are attached. With this arrangement, movement of the chain is transmitted through the spindle 47 to the support member 40, the guide rollers 54, 55 bearing against and rolling on the guideway sidewall 67 during such movement. The guide rollers, thrust bearing 62 and support member legs 41 all serve to stabilize the support member as motion is transmitted from the chain thereto. in this connection, the nut 51 may be adjusted against the spring 52 to maintain upper guide roller 54 in close engagement with thrust bearing 62, the spring and nut connection also having the secondary purpose of providing some exibility between the support member and drive means to compensate for any unevenness in the surface of the platform as the member travels thereover.

Since the seat shown in Figure 7 is seat Zic (see also Figures l and 4), its chain drive member is designated by the reference number 68C. The arrangement of the chain drive members for all of the seats in the group is best shown in Figures 5 and 6, the former being a plan view with the platform 27, or top floor layer, removed. In Figure 5, it will be seen that chain 68d, the drive member for the fourth seat Zd in row 21, extends from the outer end of the fourth branch guideway 33, around an idler sprocket at the junction of the branch guideway and central guideway 37, and along the central guideway to the aisle terminal thereof, which terminal is located below the loading and unloading zone 35 as indicated in Figures l and 2. At the aisle terminal of the central guideway the chain passes around another idler sprocket and enters a narrower chain way 76 which communicates with the outer ends of all the branch guideways, terminating at the fourth branch for seat 21d. In this manner chain 68d, the ends of which are secured to the chain connecting element 57 for the seat 21d as indicated by dash lines in Figure 5, forms a complete loop or endless drive so that when the chain is selectively engaged by a reversible prime mover, in a manner to be described, the seat can be moved from its row position above the outer end of its branch guideway to the loading and unloading zone above the aisle terminal of the central guideway and back again. In the same manner, chain 68e for the third seat 21c forms a complete loop passing through the third branch guideway 38, chain 68b for second seat 2lb forms a complete loop passing through the second branch guideway, and chain 68a for the rst seat 21a forms a complete loop passing through the iirst branch guideway, each successive loop decreasing in length from the fourth to rst branch guideway as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

In order to position all of the drive chains 68a-68d closely adjacent the side wall 67 of the central guideway 37, and thereby leave the center of the guideway free for the passage of the support member spindles 47, the chains are arranged one above the other in the guideway with chain 68d at the bottom and chain 68a at the top. To this end, a series of chain engaging idler sprockets are mounted on vertical spindles in the guideway-chain way system at each point that any chain changes direction. Thus, the top chain 68a engages idler sprockets 71 positioned near the upper ends of spindles 72. Similarly, chain 68b engages sprockets 74 on spindles 75, and also sprockets 77 positioned below the sprockets 71 on spindles 72. Chain 68e engages sprockets 78 on spindles 80, and also sprockets 81 and 82 positioned below sprockets 74 and 77 on spindles 75, 72, respectively. Chain 63d engages sprockets 84 on spindles 85, and also sprockets 87, 88 and 89 below sprockets 78, 81 and 82 on spindles 80, 75 and 72, respectively. While only the sprockets S4 and sprockets 89 adjacent the aisle are necessary for the operation of chain 68d, the sprockets 87, 88 and inner sprockets 89 are also provided since they serve to prevent excessive slack in the chain and can be mounted on spindles that are necessary to the other chains in the group in space that would not otherwise be utilized. Chains 68e` and 681; are similarly provided for as above described.

With the foregoing arrangement, the spindle 47 for the fourth seat 21d extends almost to the bottom of the guideway so that its chain connecting element 57 is positioned opposite chain 68d, and its lower roller 55 engages the side wall `of the branch and central guideways below the chain. Thus, the lower roller will occupy the space between the cha-in and the bottom ofthe guideway. The fact that the spindle extends below the level of the other chains, in the case of seat 21d, is of no concern since the spindle only trtvels in its own #branch guideway and the central guideway and never crosses the other chains. For the rhisd seat 21e, howeves, the spindle 47 is shorter and terminates just above the level of chains 68d, see Figure 7, so that as the seat moves from its branch guideway into the central guideway, and vice versa, it passes over chain 68d and does not interfere therewith. The lower roller 55 for this spindle is accordingly located between the levels of chains 68e and 68d as shown in Figure 7. For the second seat 2lb, the spindle 47 is still shorter and terminates just above the level of chain 68e so as to clear the latter as the seat moves back and forth between its branch guideway and the central guideway. The lower roller 55 for this spindle is located between the levels of chains 68b and 68e. The arrangement for the irst seat 21a is shown in Figure 1l, a view corresponding to Figure 7 but showing seat 21a in the central passageway 34 between the rows instead of seat 21C. In this view it will be seen that the spindle 47 is quite short and terminates just above the chain 68b with the lower roller 55 on the spindle being located between the levels of chains 68a and 68b.

When the seat 21a passes from its branch guideway into the central guideway and its chain 68a passes around the sprocket 71 adjacent the intersection, its upper `and lower guide rollers 54, 55 engage confronting rollers positioned between the sprockets on the spindle 72 so that guiding contact is not lost in making the turn even though thc guideway sidewalls are cut away at that point to provide s procketwells 'for 'the sprockets." ThiS construction Vis carried out on all Aoirtltespindles 72,"75,

V80 and SSYadjacent .the central guideway, wherever Vthe YrollersV for any of the seats would make Contact, and

is shownfor the purposes of illustration in Figure 13 Vfeven though a spindle adjacent 'the chain way as in reference numbers 91, 91a, '9117,91c'and 91d, The top roller 91 will contactthe upper-,guide roller 54 for each of the seats since the upper rollers are atthc same level in every case. The lower guide rollers 55, on the other hand, are positioned at different levels for each seat and roller 91a is therefore provi-ded to contact the lower 'bloemist sprocket. The control panel 4Von the Seat hasonrly twoV buttons `labelled ln v'and VOut, and after the patron Y roller for seat 21a,roller'91b isprovided to contact the lower roller for seatv21b, and so forth. While the chain drive arrangement has been described in connection with the seats in row 21 only, it will be understoody that the arrangement is identicalfor the 'seats in row 22, Vthe ,K

chains 92a, 92h, 92e and 92d Vcorresponding to seats Y22a, 2211, 22e and 22a'Y and extending along Vthe opposite side wall of theV central guideway, as Vshown 1in Figures 5,7and11.Y Y

The Vchains 68a, 68b, 68cand 68d for Vthe seats Vin row 21 are selectively actuated-by a single prime mover andV selective engagement mechanism diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1'3.` ...Theprime moverV and'engagement Vmechanism are -positioned in a well 94 which communicates with the sprocketV well for the sprockets and spindle l72 located adjacent the main aisle and away from the loading and unloading zone (the Vlower v left hand spindle 72 as viewedin Figure 5). The prime Ymover is a reversible electric motor 95 havinga bevel gearY 97 secured to its drive shaft 98. Gear 97 meshes with a bevel gear 100 linedV on the lower end of a sleeve 101,'the sleeve and gear being rotatably supported by some suitable means sueh'as a thrust bearing v102 and bracket 104. Passing through the sleeve101 is a shaft 105 having a selective engagement gear 107 fixed on the upper end thereof. "The shaft is keyed to the sleeve was indicated M108, VFigure 14, yso that it can move longitudinally relative thereto and yet will be driven by the motor through gears 97, .100. Longitudinal movement of'shaft 105 is carried'out Ybythe means of a worm gear 110`which engagesaworm 111 formed on the Vlower end of thesh-aft,` thelworm gear being actuated by a.reversible-electricniotor V.(not shown). With this arrangement, the v'selective'Y engagement gear 107 .can be brought. intofmesh -with .anyn'one of the ,sprockets 71, ,77, 82 and9fto drive the .chain/iin engagcmentthere- .with when` the motor 495 is {,in`operation'. VThe latter, of courseywilllbe `provided with .a suitable step-down gear box or the likerfnotshown) so that the chains and their Acorresponding seats will be driven yat a relatively slow rate of speed. As best Yshownin Figure l5, the teeth V1-12 on theV selective engagement `gear 107 'are bevelled at theirV upper and lower` edges so that thc gear can slip into engagement withrthe sprockets even though the alignment for meshing is VnotVper-fect, there being suflicient `play between the sprockets and their respective chains to permit this to happen.

The 'selective engagement mechanism above described is operated bymeans of a control board ,or'panel 114, Figure l, adjacent the end of the seat row and a control .panel (not shown) on each seat. Panel 114 will have a signal lamp. and control button corresponding to each seat inthe row, thesignal lamp for each seat being illuminated when the seat is empty and dark when it is occupied. In this manner, the usher or patron can tell unloading zone 35. Pushing the'control `button causes .the .gear and worm to :move the .selective engage- .mentj gear 1107 "into iengagementjjwith "the sprocket on spindle 72jcorresponding-to the `seat and thereafter actuates the motor'95 to drive'the jsprocketandechain conf nected thereto. Y When the seat reaches the loading and unloading zone,V the motor is vautomatically Istopped although the gear `1074 remainsl in engagementV with'the has seated himself in the seat he pushes the In button which again actuatesthe motor'but'in the 'reverve direc tion. -When the seat reaches its row position, `the* motor is automatically stopped but the selective engagement gear remains in engagement with the sprocketfor 4the seat until another seat ,-is"'ca lled for yby 'meansf'of theV aisle control panel 114, or until someoneelseiinjthe row wishes to leave. n K I When a patron wishes to'lleave his seat, hepushes the Out button thereon and this causes `.the 'selective-engagement gear 107 to move into engagementwithwthe sprocket corresponding to his seat and actuatesthe motor which moves .the seat out to the loading -andrunloarlf ing zone.. When the seat reaches this last-namedpoint; I the patron gets Vout and the usher or patron pus'hesthek In button to return it toits row position. The aisle panel 114, seat panels,`prime ,mover 95 and motor for the worm gear V are preferably interconnected'fby a system of electric or electronic controls employing .prer-V lays or the like, which controls are not disclosed herein since'rnany dilerent arrangements, both conventional and otherwise, can be employed. Accordingly, the electri1 cal controls per se do not come within the scopeeof the present invention which is concerned only with'the rue-` chanical arrangement and apparatus fors'electively'moving any given seat from its group position to a pointref moved from the group and back again. It should 'be pointed out here, however, that Vany electrical controls employed will be yprovided with suitable interlocksto prevent movement of more than one seat at a time. l *u In order to keep dirt, papers and similar foreign matter from getting into the guideways 37, 38, the guideway top,

opening 48 through the platform '27, Figures `7 and i8, is normally covered or sealed by a succession of relag tively thick strips of resilient material 115 such as rubber or the like. The strips 115 are provided along one side with tabs 117 which extend into a groove `118'i11 the plat? form Vand are secured therein as by screws 120. The

opposite or free side of each strip is supportedbygaY shoulder 121 on the platform so that the strips lie 'flush y with thev top surface thereof as shown in Figure 8.( When Y has passed by, the natural resiliency of the strip material causes it to return to its horizontal position in engage; ment with the platform shoulder 121, although a lfollower in the form of a spring metal strip or the like (not shown) can if desired be mounted on the seat supportmember 40 to positively return the Vstrip to its sealing position.

Since the splitter 122 vand chain connectingelement 57 are both fixed to the spindle 47, the former will` turn with the latter as the seat moves from its branch guideway into the central guideway and vice versa. Thus, the splitter, orrpointed end thereof, will always `be properly positioned to engage and lift the strips 11"5in themost effective'manner. Inthis connection, it willjbenoted from Figure Zjthat Vthe strips `115 are arranged so that one continuous strip extends from the aisle rtermnalfof ithecentral guideway,=around -aright angle tum, and along the iirst branch guideway 38 for row 21; the second strip extends from the junction of the central guideway and rst branch guideway to the end of the second branch guideway, and so forth. The branch guideways for the row 22, however, are covered with strips which terminate at the junction of the branch and central guideways. This arrangement, of course, permits the spindle 47 on any seat to pass easily along the platform opening 48 since its splitter never has to lift an ungainly length of strip and the flexibility of the strips is greatest at the turns or junction points Where the resistance to lifting would normally be increased.

As previously mentioned, the seats always face the front of the theater during movement to and from the loading and unloading zone 35 and, to this end, each seat is provided with a follower 125, Figure 3, which travels in a shallow track 127, Figure 2, cut in the upper surface of the platform 27 and resilient strips 115. Since the track 127 extends alongside the central guideway and branch guideways, and the follower 125 is off center with respect to the center of the support member 40 (being located adjacent the front left hand leg 41 thereof) the follower holds the support member and seat in a forwardly facing position at all times. The follower comprises `a rod 128 having a roller 130 on the end thereof which engages the sides of the track, the roller being urged into the track by a spring 131 which also provides the follower with a certain amount of give to compensate for any unevenness there might be in the track.

While the foregoing paragraphs have described the invention in connection with a seat group having four seats in each row, to simplify the drawings and disclosure, the arrangement will preferably provide for six seats in each row since it is common in theatre arrangements to have twelve or thirteen seats in a row between aisles. While seat group 24 operates toward the aisle 20, it will be un derstood that the adjacent side group 25 operates in the opposite direction toward the next aisle to the right. It will also be understood that the seats can be staggered or offset as between the two rows in the group without in any way changing the operation of the apparatus. lf desired, the groups comprising one complete row across the entire theatre can be arcuately arranged, or in amphitheatre form, so long as the seats within each group travel in straight line paths. The groups might also be arranged so that the first seat in each row, being adjacent the loading zone, is stationary but this would require greater clearance between the rows of adjacent groups and thus would reduce the number of seats that could be put in the theatre.

The above-described arrangement is laid out to provide the greatest possible comfort and safety for the patrons of theatre and, tothis end, the movement of the seats is relatively slow and yet the transfer takes but a few seconds longer than the normal procedure of stepping sidewise in front of occupied seats in order to get into and out of an inner seat. There is practically no chance of involuntarily getting a hand or foot entangled during movement of a seat but in such event the motor 95 will be provided with an automatic stop which will operate whenever any strain beyond a certain limit is placed upon it. In this connection it should also be mentioned that the location of the motor 95 and the selective engagement mechanism is such that access is relatively simple being through a trap door 132, Figures l and 13, in the unobstructed portion of the platform adjacent the loading and unloading zone.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides a novel and highly useful means for selectively moving objects arranged in a group or pattern to a point adjacent the group and back again, or vice versa. 'I'he invention has been particularly described with reference to theatre seats but any other type of object, large or small, can be temporarily or permanently mounted on the support members for transfer movement thereby. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiment disclosed is therefor to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a theatre or like auditorium having a main aisle, the combination of a substantially horizontal platform adjacent said aisle, a group of individually movable theatre seats arranged in two rows on said platform at substantially right angles to said aisle, said rows being spaced apart to form a passageway therebetween which passageway terminates in a seat loading and unloading zone adjacent said aisle, a separate drive member for each seat positioned below said platform to move the seat out of its position in its row and along said passageway to said loading .and unloading zone, and a single prime mover for each row of seats selectively engageable with any of the drive members for the seats in the row to actuate the drive member.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a substantially horizontal platform, a group of individually movable support members arranged in two rows on said platform, said rows being spaced apart to form a passageway therebetween, a loading and unloading zone on said platform adjacent one end of said passageway, a central guideway below said platform in vertical alignment with the longitudinal center line of said passageway, a plurality of side guideways below said platform, each such guideway extending from a point beneath one of said support members to said central guideway, a separate endless drive member for each support member extending along the central guideway and the side guideway corresponding to the member to move the member out of its row position and along said passageway to said loading and unloading zone, and a single prime mover for each row of members to selectively actuate any of the drive members for the members in the row.

3. An apparatus as dened in claim 2 wherein the endless drive members for the support members in each row are vertically aligned in the central guideway adjacent a side wall thereof.

4. In a theatre or like auditorium having a main aisle, the combination of a substantially horizontal platform adjacent said aisle, a group of movable theatre seats arranged in two rows on said platform at substantially right angles to said aisle, said rows being spaced apart to form a passageway therebetween which passageway terminutes in a seat loading and unloading zone adjacent said aisle, a central guideway having substantially vertical side walls and located below said platform in vertical alignment with the longitudinal axis of said passageway, a pluarlity of side guideways below said platform, each such guideway being in communication with said central guideway and extending outwardly therefrom to a point beneath one of said seats, said central and side guideways having a coextensive top opening through said platform, a separate endless drive member for each seat positioned in the central guideway and the side guideway corresponding to the seat, means passing through said top opening and connecting each seat with its drive member to enable the latter to move the seat out of its row position and along said passageway to said loading and unloading zone, and a single prime mover for each row of seats positioned below said platform to selectively actuate any one of the drive members for the seats in the row.

5. The combination dened in claim 4 wherein said drive members positioned in said central guideway are arranged one above the other adjacent the guideway sidewalls.

6. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said means connecting each seat with its drive member includes a spindle having guide elements thereon adapted to engage the guideway sidewalls.

Y 7. The combination denedin claim 4 including resilient means normally closing said Aguidewaytop opening, said resilient means 'being distortable Yto permit passage of said seat and Vdrive -member connecting meansVV along said opening Vduring movement Yof the vseat to said lloading and unloadingzone. f K- Y l 8. The combination Vdefined in claim 4 including a track on said platform and means kon each seat Vengageable with said track to prevent pivotal movement of said seats during movement `thereof between said rows Yand loading and unloading zone wherebysaid seats face in the same direction at all times.

' ReferencesCitedin the le of thisv patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 512,066 Spitzer ..v. Jan. 2, 1894 -Francovich V July 26, `11904 Morris L Aug'. 8, T1911 Raymond Oct. `8,19}12 Mason lDec. 5, 111922 DupreyV V i Dec. 2, v)1924 Y Burrel a May 12,*1926 Martin Y Jan.`-23, 1934 r Ralston et al May 10, .1,949

Baume f Nov. 10, 1953 FoREiGN PATENTS y Y ,y Great Britain July 2,' 1925 

